Influence of Electrotaxis, Chemotaxis and Textured Surfaces on Actin dynamics*

Cell migration is integral in many processes such as wound healing and cancer metastasis. Cells can be guided by different types of gradients, for example chemotaxis. We use surfaces with nanotopographical features such as ridges to examine this type of guidance called esotaxis on migration in the well-studied amoeba Dictyostelium Discoideum. In this work we compare chemotaxis with esotaxis on ridges as well as the influence of electrotaxis on the formation of the actin cytoskeleton on these nanotopographies. These esotactic surfaces have more guidance cues for cells than plane 2D cultures and can disrupt other guidance types like chemotaxis.